Revised history (that's not her Verde history)
Saori's parents moved to Kyoto when her mom was still pregnant with her. The move happened because her father got a new job there.
Three years later, Akira was born. All was good until Akira was 4 and Saori was 7, when their mother got sick. Her health began to deteriorate until she finally passed away. That left Saori to basically become the caretaker of the house. Father was devastated with the lost of his wife and his children's mother so the depression began to set in.
One year later, the father went to work but never returned. (Saori would later found out he was devoured by a mononoke and later kills it, but she was too late to retrieve and purify the soul.)
Their grandmother who lived nearby took them in. Saori took care of both her little brother and her grandmother.
In high school, grandmother thought showing her around Gion might convince her to become a geiko. After a traditonal tea ceremony, she ended up falling in love with tea instead. Saori later picks up a love for folklore and mythology while in school.
Saori eventually graduated high school and attended a college in Osaka. She even studied abroad in America for a year. She graduated college with a degree in English.
However it wasn't without a hitch. A week before graduation, Akira disappeared. There was a police search, but it eventually became a cold case.
Saori worked in a publication company, specializing in translation work for three years, but found the work to be not as satisfying over time.
It was then Grandmother suggested she maybe do something she liked: cooking. So she began to plan out making a cafe.
That wasn't going to happen however because she was spirited away herself.
-----
Saori ends up being captured by a Nopperabou, a Faceless mononoke. It's explained that mononoke change from ayakashi when they feed on a human's strongest emotion. In most cases, it's a very bad thing. However in exchange for the power boost, they lose their identity. However there is a way to overcome this. If they consume a soul of someone who despite many hardships occurring in their life are still pure, not only does their power increase but their lifespan increases as well without losing their identity.
Just as the Nopperabou eats her soul, Tenjou intervenes. However that doesn't stop it from ripping her soul from her body. Tenjou is able to finish it, but cannot repair the soul-body bond, rendering Saori now as dead.
Tenjou then decides to take her to see Inari in Kuukan about her options. The fox god decides that Saori can stay under Tenjou's care. It through touring around Kuukan and staying with Tenjou she realizes his purpose.Tenjou is the leader of Inari's elite corp dedicated to protecting humans from being eaten by ayakashi who want to be mononoke, lower the mononoke population and maintain balance to Kuukan.
Saori comes to a decision to help Tenjou so more people won't suffer the same fate as her. Tenjou objected but eventually gives in. She goes through training with Pluto, the corps second-strongest, and it would take her a few years until she got Inari's blessing and was given the title Tenka.
One night after a day of 'border patrol' (which she dubbed), she does a quick scan of Kuukan's Third District. She hears a girl crying and drops to see what's wrong. She does her best to comfort Mary. That's when:
"Sorry big sis, but Hachi was getting hungry."
Saori realizes the girl's hoodie was actually sentient. The two are about to hit each other with their final attack when Mary's crying stops them. Unable to leave her alone, Saori decides to bring Mary with the intention of adopting her.
Tenjou is not happy with this development. Hachi comments they are 'such a happy married couple' which they both object to. Mary begins to Saori 'mama' but she's scared of Tenjou. (She recieved a lot of her abuse from her father while her mother neglected her. Can't say you blame her for being afraid of Tenjou for a while.) Eventually they warm up to each other.
Saori and Tenjou eventually open up to each other. A crucial point: Tenjou reveals that he was just like her: a human soul targeted by mononoke. He even tells her his real name, but still calls him Tenjou out of habit.
The rest of the story continues on about this newly formed family along with the others in Inari's corps like Pluto and his family, and the new rival Kain and his platoon.
Three years later, Akira was born. All was good until Akira was 4 and Saori was 7, when their mother got sick. Her health began to deteriorate until she finally passed away. That left Saori to basically become the caretaker of the house. Father was devastated with the lost of his wife and his children's mother so the depression began to set in.
One year later, the father went to work but never returned. (Saori would later found out he was devoured by a mononoke and later kills it, but she was too late to retrieve and purify the soul.)
Their grandmother who lived nearby took them in. Saori took care of both her little brother and her grandmother.
In high school, grandmother thought showing her around Gion might convince her to become a geiko. After a traditonal tea ceremony, she ended up falling in love with tea instead. Saori later picks up a love for folklore and mythology while in school.
Saori eventually graduated high school and attended a college in Osaka. She even studied abroad in America for a year. She graduated college with a degree in English.
However it wasn't without a hitch. A week before graduation, Akira disappeared. There was a police search, but it eventually became a cold case.
Saori worked in a publication company, specializing in translation work for three years, but found the work to be not as satisfying over time.
It was then Grandmother suggested she maybe do something she liked: cooking. So she began to plan out making a cafe.
That wasn't going to happen however because she was spirited away herself.
-----
Saori ends up being captured by a Nopperabou, a Faceless mononoke. It's explained that mononoke change from ayakashi when they feed on a human's strongest emotion. In most cases, it's a very bad thing. However in exchange for the power boost, they lose their identity. However there is a way to overcome this. If they consume a soul of someone who despite many hardships occurring in their life are still pure, not only does their power increase but their lifespan increases as well without losing their identity.
Just as the Nopperabou eats her soul, Tenjou intervenes. However that doesn't stop it from ripping her soul from her body. Tenjou is able to finish it, but cannot repair the soul-body bond, rendering Saori now as dead.
Tenjou then decides to take her to see Inari in Kuukan about her options. The fox god decides that Saori can stay under Tenjou's care. It through touring around Kuukan and staying with Tenjou she realizes his purpose.Tenjou is the leader of Inari's elite corp dedicated to protecting humans from being eaten by ayakashi who want to be mononoke, lower the mononoke population and maintain balance to Kuukan.
Saori comes to a decision to help Tenjou so more people won't suffer the same fate as her. Tenjou objected but eventually gives in. She goes through training with Pluto, the corps second-strongest, and it would take her a few years until she got Inari's blessing and was given the title Tenka.
One night after a day of 'border patrol' (which she dubbed), she does a quick scan of Kuukan's Third District. She hears a girl crying and drops to see what's wrong. She does her best to comfort Mary. That's when:
"Sorry big sis, but Hachi was getting hungry."
Saori realizes the girl's hoodie was actually sentient. The two are about to hit each other with their final attack when Mary's crying stops them. Unable to leave her alone, Saori decides to bring Mary with the intention of adopting her.
Tenjou is not happy with this development. Hachi comments they are 'such a happy married couple' which they both object to. Mary begins to Saori 'mama' but she's scared of Tenjou. (She recieved a lot of her abuse from her father while her mother neglected her. Can't say you blame her for being afraid of Tenjou for a while.) Eventually they warm up to each other.
Saori and Tenjou eventually open up to each other. A crucial point: Tenjou reveals that he was just like her: a human soul targeted by mononoke. He even tells her his real name, but still calls him Tenjou out of habit.
The rest of the story continues on about this newly formed family along with the others in Inari's corps like Pluto and his family, and the new rival Kain and his platoon.